Brasília – The Brazilian trade balance has returned to a surplus. According to figures disclosed this Monday (14th) by the Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, exports exceeded imports by US$ 1.575 billion in the second week of November, after a US$ 543 million deficit was recorded in the first week. The resulting month-to-date surplus is US$ 1.032 billion.
In the second week of November, exports stood at US$ 6.56 billion, at an average of US$ 1.312 billion per working day, 23.5% higher than the US$ 1.062 billion average recorded during the first week. Imports stood at US$ 4.985 billion, at an average per working day of US$ 997 million, 19.8%, lower than in the first week (US$ 1.243 billion).
According to the ministry, the increase in exports in the second week compared with the first was driven by semi-manufactured goods (sugar, iron, steel, soy oil, raw gold) and basic goods (iron ore, soybean, oil, soy chaff, poultry and pork). On the other hand, there was a decline in sales of manufactured goods (passenger cars, refined sugar, cargo vehicles, plastic polymers, and tractors).
According to the ministry, the lower rate of imports in the second week was mostly due to “the decline in spending on fuels and lubricants, mechanical equipment, automobiles and their parts, electrical and electronic equipment, fertilizers, and plastics.”
From January until the second week of November, the trade surplus stood at US$ 26.422 billion, a 66.7% increase over the same period of 2010 (US$ 15.847 billion).
Year-to-date as of last week, a period that comprised an equal amount of working days as the same period of 2010, exports stood at US$ 221.884 billion, at a daily average of US$ 1.022 billion. The figure represents a 28.9% increase over the same period last year.
During the period, imports stood at US$ 195.462 billion, at a daily average of US$ 900.7 million per working day, representing a 25.1% increase.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
